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Georgia family claims vet employee 'took dog home' after they paid to have it put down
Months after a devastated family in Georgia paid a veterinary clinic to put their pet pug down, they found out through Facebook that a member of staff allegedly took the now healthy dog home.
Tragically, Rebecca Belote's report of the alleged misconduct to the clinic only made matters worse.
The clinic reportedly retrieved the four-legged friend from its worker, but rather than returning Cha Cha to his rightful owners, euthanized him in March.
Cha Cha's family were advised to end his short life by vets
Although the poor pooch was only four years old, Belote's family had been advised by Senoia Animal Hospital Coweta County to put him down because he was suffering from organ failure due to diabetic ketoacidosis.
The condition, which occurs when the body does not have enough insulin, is widely considered cruel to let an animal live with, and is often treated with a life-ending injection.
Following careful deliberation over what was best for their beloved furry friend, the family agreed to end his life.
Months after the Belotes said their final goodbyes, they were mortified to come across a photograph of their precious pup while scrolling through social media.
After the grief-stricken family reached out to the worker and her family, the employee’s husband told the Belotes they had the dog and that he had made a full recovery.
When confronted, the worker’s husband reportedly confirmed they had taken Cha Cha home instead of putting her down, nursing the pug back to health.
However, in a heartbreaking twist of fate, the clinic reportedly decided to put the hound down anyway.
Rebecca told Georgia news outlet WSB-TV: “The fact that they put a healthy dog down. That’s just sick.”
The veterinary clinic has allegedly denied the claims against it
While Cha Cha's family claimed that the clinic denied the alleged dognapping and lying, Senoia Animal Hospital has not responded to the New York Post's request for comment.
The pup's heartbroken mom claims: "They have a lawyer. They won’t talk about it."
She claims staff took Cha Cha back from the worker’s home and put the now-healthy animal down to dispose of evidence of the malpractice.
Belote has since filed a complaint with the Georgia State Board of Veterinary Medicine, WSB-TV added.
Tear-jerkingly, Belote also noted in the interview that her family had nothing but love for their dog, especially her 17-year-old son, who often wore matching outfits with the pooch.
The devastated mom said: "They had matching clothes. Like matching hoodies that they would wear.
"She hardly walked anywhere 'cause he carried her everywhere. My son was really attached to the dog."